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“I may be outraged, but I’ll just limit myself to one more word, it surprises me. If pastors need a living presence, then I have examples of deeply believing people who did not go to church in Soviet times, but acted as pastors at home. It is not known why the church applies such an exception to itself. Can it be said that pastoral care is a vital human need? Perhaps for some, I agree. But if it is necessary to do it in a closed space, it is in the church premises. I believe that believers are invited into a certain risk zone and put in danger. Church leaders should consider whether this is sensible behavior, “Gentville told Knowledge Radio on Wednesday.
According to him, the Emergency Management Commission should speak with church leaders.
“The Emergency Management Commission should definitely talk to church leaders and say if this is in line with pandemic management measures. Furthermore, we know that believers are older people (…) We, as a State, follow all the measures, and the Church, as an institution, allows it. Yes, the church is formally separate, but this does not mean that it can invite citizens of the Lithuanian state into a closed space and cause them additional risks. People have to follow the restrictions everywhere and not in the church. I cannot imagine such a separation. I can say that secondary schools also have sovereignty, academic freedom, but that means that secondary schools have the right to invite students to live lectures in classrooms. Obviously not, ”said the parliamentarian.
The Lithuanian Bishops’ Conference announced on Tuesday that public services with believers would resume from Monday, January 11.
Mass participants will be admitted with face masks, 10 square meters M. meters per person, maintaining a distance of two meters between people or groups of people consisting of no more than five people or family members.
At that time, funeral rites will continue to be performed only in the cemetery. Only members of the immediate family are present, with the exception of the priest and funeral home staff. Funerario St. Mass is offered without the body of the deceased on the day of the funeral or at another time, by agreement with the relatives.
With the increasing number of patients with coronavirus infection, the Lithuanian Bishops’ Conference suspended public services in churches until January 10.
The government tightened the quarantine in mid-December and extended it until January 31, closing non-food stores, beauty salons, restricting the movement of people and meetings.
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